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The University of Bridgeport has received a $192,347 grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a program to recruit and train teachers in high-need urban schools throughout Southwestern Connecticut and train them to teach physical science with the aim of increasing student performance and interest in the physical sciences.

The project, “Planning for a Teacher Fellowship/Master Teacher Fellowship Program to Serve High-Need Schools in Urban Southwestern Connecticut,” will be led under the direction of School of Education professor Ioana Badara with School of Education professor Nelson Ngoh, electrical engineering professors Buket Barkana and Navarun Gupta, and Maria Gherasimova, from the School of Arts & Sciences.

The grant provides funding for the design of a combined teaching fellowship/master teaching fellowship program. Due to launch in January 2014, the yearlong program also will expand UB’s already significant outreach in area schools.

UB’s School of Education, for instance, currently prepares teachers to become certified as elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers of English, math, science, social science and music.

“This NSF grant will help us develop a combined program to produce effective science teachers who teach physical science in Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Stamford public schools,” said Dr. Badara.

When complete, “will have a huge impact on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education in the area, placing UB as a leader,” she added.